Moroccan Snickers Bar Tour

#Moroccan_SnickersBar_Tour

Here i am visiting Morocco for the third time as its an area with a rich but complex mixture of history
 It was formed by many diverse cultures and dynasties from the ancient Berber kingdoms to all the European powers that have left their influences in the area

 

To understand any country you visit, you need to first embrace the people with their culture plus perhaps all the chaos that the area brings

To borrow a quote from Mark Twain; Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness

Off to the souk (market) with the understanding that you need to be prepared to negotiate for items like bags, spices, leather goods and pottery
KeyTip; What i have learned from many visits is to reduce the asking price by 70%

So again i have been to this area of Western Africa multiple times, so the front desk at my hotel mentioned that they had some guests from North America and was wondering if i would mind meeting with them in the lobby (later on) to discuss what to expect

At our get together i agreed to join them as they were heading to the souk, so i mentioned that i always bring some Snickers Bars in my backpack for that.... just in case moment
 They kind of looked at me with a puzzled look so
I explained that our systems will need time to adapt to the local foods and liquids
plus not to buy any fruit/salads or anything not packaged as it could of been washed in water, no drinks with ice cubes and so on

Well we get to the market and the guide eventually takes us inside one of the vendors buildings that was selling rugs, brass vases and clothing
Then the host brings out a bowl of soup for everyone that was basically black water ( i am thinking of the Indiana Jones Movie at this point 😅) so then grabbed my Snickers Bar and offered by extras to my new friends
Not sure if they were not paying attention to my lecture earlier but they all declined
We finished up and headed back to the resort, i find out later (as i waited at the restaurant for them) 
 none were coming as they all had diarrhea

After eating i went outside and pulled out a roadside shrub, then took the six pack plastic rings plus some cloth to decorate into a believable Christmas Tree ( it was December 24th)
Finally for gifts; i added some alcohol plus of course a Snickers Bar for all my North American friends who did not listen 

 Merry Christmas

Being a photographer i know there will be some great color shots for my camera, but i just bring the basic gear as petty theft is common here especially in the crowded areas

KeyTip;  The so called Faux Guides may approach you offering a tour but generally they are trying to lead you to places not so nice or pressure you into buying things, so kindly say no thank you

On my way to the Medina (old city) in Fez which is the largest living medieval city in the world and because of such is an UNESCO World Heritage Site 

It also has the oldest University in the world Al-Qarawiyyin (859 AD)
 plus look for Dar al-Magana (which is a house built in the 14th century) that has a water clock which is one of the oldest forms of timekeeping

As i learned the souks are not random collections of stalls but are carefully organized by the type of goods sold
So its up to you to decide what you are looking for then head to that area
 When walking in that direction, take in the aromatic spices, vibrant colors (like above) and the sounds of craftmanship

You will need your sense of adventure to walk into this controlled chaos, but its like a journey through a living piece of history
Much like a labyrinthine into the traditional way of life that has persisted through centuries

Morocco has been ruled by many dynasties including the Idrisid, Almoravid, Saadi, Almohad and Alawi which still resigns today (from the 17th century)
This makes it the second oldest ruling house in the world 

It finally got its independence from France and Spain in 1956

Being a part-time actor i am on the lookout for some of the largest film sets outside of Hollywood located here
What films or TV Shows (that utilized the diverse landscapes and historical architecture) you ask
1) Gladiator
2) Lawrence of Arabia
3) Mission Impossible
4) Game of Thrones
5) Rogue Nation
6) American Sniper
7) Prison Break

On my way to Marrakech
 also known as Red City because of the color of most of the building which are made of that hue of clay

Some interesting facts;
1) Yves Saint Laurent played a role in restoring the Majorelle Gardens
2) Its the home for traditional  Moroccan crafts of textiles, pottery and leather goods
3) The main square of Jemaa el-Fnaa is famous for its musicians, storytellers and food vendors
4) Founded in 1062 it is one of the four Imperial Cities of the country and one of its historic capitals

Morocco is experiencing a decline in rainfall and has rising temperatures leading to increasing water stress hence when i took these pictures it sums it up well
Aqua is more important than gold

The country (National Water Management Plan)  is actively working to improve the situation through investments in dams, desalination and wastewater reuse

While the official language is Arabic, many Moroccans speak Darija ( a dialect influenced by Berber and Arabic) plus French is also widely spoken

But i can tell you, my Canadian French is very different but was able to communicate somewhat especially when haggling over prices (which the locals are offended if you do not engage)

From the mosques the call for prayer ( the Adhan) is five times per day
It is a significant part of the daily rhythm with a rich Islamic history

Depending on the time of year, Morocco does not get as much sunlight as you would think
In December only around five hours up to eleven in July

So plan your visit accordingly

Onto my next adventure